C3 Interior Restoration - Inside Job

Restoring Our Stingray's Interior For Functional Good Looks

If you've been following the progress of Project C3 Triple-Ex, you've no doubt noticed that we've spent a considerable amount of effort on our Stingray's chassis, suspension, and steering, and have made the car far more aesthetically appealing with a new Cyber Gray paintjob and SLP aluminum wheels. As we've stated, our plan is to complete the car and upgrade all of its systems, prepping it for an upcoming transmission swap and ultimately readying it for a far more powerful engine than the warmed-over 350 now installed. This month, we'll attack the interior, replacing worn and broken items with new parts from Corvette Central, and installing more-modern seats and safety harnesses from Summit Racing Equipment.

2/25

When it comes to the interior of a Corvette, especially a classic one, one has to decide whether to restore it to factory standards or upgrade it with more-modern parts. And while we definitely agree that the interior of a rare, historically significant Corvette should be treated to a stock-style restoration, the fact is our Stingray is simply a base-model small-block car, and the original engine is long gone. While it would have been nice to discover that our car was a rarer LS4 or Z07 model, the way it's configured actually benefits us, as it allows us to upgrade the Vette to our liking without any guilt. So while an all-out C6 interior swap is tempting, we opted instead for a nice blend of stock and lightly modified, with modern conveniences such as bolstered bucket seats, accurate and easy-to-read gauges, and upgraded safety harnesses. And while we won't be restoring this car to factory specs, we also won't change anything that can't be returned to stock in the future.

As a foundation for a good-looking interior, the basics need to be addressed first. Since our Stingray's interior was mostly original when we purchased it, much of the plastic trim lining the cockpit was cracked and broken. The carpet had been replaced at some point, but since it was stained and starting to show wear, we chose to replace it as well. Fortunately, we located all of the necessary parts in Corvette Central's catalog and had everything on the way with a quick phone call. Central, which carries all of the necessary items to completely rebuild your C3's interior, supplied us with the A-pillar pads, door-lock knobs, sun visors, carpeting, and even a new shift console to replace our cracked unit. We also ordered a dash-pad cover, as an alternative to replacing the entire dash. These covers are economically priced, look great, and are a good choice if your dash pad is structurally sound but has a couple of unsightly cracks.

3/25

When it came to choosing seats for C3 Triple-Ex, the choices were virtually unlimited. We knew we'd need buckets that sat low, with more side bolstering and support than the factory units could offer; they'd also need provisions for dual shoulder harnesses. Checking all our options, our research led us to Summit Racing's new Sport Seat. This seat offers both lumbar and shoulder supports, reclines and tilts forward, and is covered in good-looking, soft, simulated leather. Dimensionally, it is nearly a perfect fit for the C3, fitting nicely between the console and door panels with enough room for seatbelts or safety harnesses on either side. The Sport Seat is available in several colors, but we chose basic black to match the rest of our interior. With our parts on the way, we began disassembling the car's interior in preparation for our upgrades.

While we had the seats and carpeting out of the car, we decided to install some modern sound and heat-proofing insulation. Corvettes, especially early models, have a tendency to get hot inside, and adding insulation like the Dynamat we utilized is a good way to keep the interior cooler and quieter. We'd picked up our Dynamat insulation at the local car-audio store for a previous project and had enough left for C3 Triple-Ex. (Dynamat and similar insulation products are also available from Corvette Central or Summit Racing). Installing this dense insulation under the carpet should yield a noticeable difference and make the car more enjoyable to drive.

4/25

There are no special tools needed to disassemble a Corvette's interior; just simple handtools and screwdrivers. A cordless screwdriver does make the job go quicker, as virtually all of the pieces are held in with Phillips screws. We also used a soldering iron to burn the necessary holes in the carpet for the harnesses. Once the interior and carpeting are removed, we suggest you take advantage of the opportunity to vacuum and clean the car thoroughly before installing your new components. It's amazing how much dust, sand, and even trash ends up imbedded in the carpet and under the seats of an old car, and who knows when you'll get the opportunity again?

This month we'll show you how we installed all of C3 Triple-Ex's periphery trim, as well as the insulation, carpeting, seats, and safety harnesses. In a future issue, we'll tackle the dash, install new Autometer gauges, and then rebuild the T-tops to complete our Stingray's cockpit.

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C3 Interior Restoration - Inside Job

Early Corvette interiors were built for performance, but there's always room for improvement. This month we'll restore and upgrade the interior of our C3 project car to optimize comfort, aesthetics, and functionality.

Mostly original, our Corvette's interior was showing its nearly four decades of age. Mindful of Editor Heath's critical eye, we decided to restore it with parts from Corvette Central and Summit Racing.

It's amazing how many items comprise the interior of the C3 two-seater, and it seemed that most of ours were cracked, broken, or missing. Fortunately we found all the replacement parts we needed in Corvette Central's C3 catalog.

When performing a major interior overhaul, it's best to remove all of the car's interior items, including the seats, console, kick panels, and periphery molding. The car can then be cleaned and prepped for reassembly with the new parts.

There's no doubt you'll encounter a few corroded fasteners in a car this old. We simply used a drill to drill the heads off stripped screws; once the panel is out, the remainder of the screw can usually be removed with vice grips. We got a whole interior fastener kit from Corvette Central, so we don't have to worry about reusing fasteners.

With the interior gutted, we cleaned up the floors with a shop-vac, then soap and water.

To provide a sound and heat barrier, we used automotive undercoating on the floors before adding our insulation and carpeting.

Adding modern thermal and sound barriers such as Dynamat to the floors, firewall, and behind the seats really helps keep the heat out of the cockpit, and reduces road noise as well. Yes, it adds a little weight, but we feel the benefits are worth it. And besides, the weight is low on the chassis.

Before installing carpeting, be sure to run speaker wires and RCA cables if you plan to install stereo equipment in the rear compartment.

The Corvette Central carpeting is pre-cut and molded to fit the contours of the C3 floors. The carpeting also has insulation bonded to the underside, so along with the Dynamat, it should provide a very quiet, comfortable ride. We replaced our doorsill plates when we painted the car, but if yours are worn, it's a good idea to replace them with the carpet.

Since we had access, we chose to replace our car's stock speakers with upgraded Pioneer units from the local audio store. We had to make a metal tab so they'd fit, but the improvement in sound quality is worth the effort.

All of the trim items we ordered from Corvette Central were of the highest quality, the proper color...

...and had all of the fastener holes pre-drilled where applicable.

While nearly all of the interior fasteners require a Phillips-head screwdriver, the lengths and types are varied.

We ordered a kit from Corvette Central that included all of the fasteners in clearly marked individual bags, so there's no mistake.

Even small items like the shifter boot...

...and door-lock knobs can make a big difference in the appearance of your car's interior. An ugly item next to all of these new parts can stand out and detract from the rest of the car, so we recommend replacing any parts that are questionable.

Knowing aftermarket seats were the best option for a performance car, we ordered a pair of Summit Racing's new Sport model buckets. These seats fit properly, and the simulated leather covering actually matches the stitched look of the rest of the cockpit. More importantly, these seats will be safer, with extra bolstering and provisions for a four-point safety harness.

Aftermarket safety harnesses are generally a requirement if you plan to race your Corvette at sanctioned events, and they're certainly safer than the OEM seatbelts. Summit Racing has a wide variety of harnesses with multiple colors, mounting, and release options, so finding the right set for your car is easy.

After marking the location of the seat- and harness-mounting holes, we use a soldering iron to melt holes in the carpet at the appropriate points. This method avoids the hazard of sharp blades and singes the carpet around the hole so it won't unravel later.

The seat tracks on the Summit Sport seats utilized spacers...

...which we removed to get the seat to sit lower in the cockpit. These seats are comfortable, provide great support for aggressive driving, and are economically priced.

To ensure our new parts don't succumb to the same fate as our old ones, we'll use Mother's Interior Protectant. This product enhances the luster of vinyl and plastic interior trim, and protects the interior from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.

We accomplished a lot on our project car this month, gutting the interior and installing new parts from Corvette Central and Summit Racing. The cockpit is beginning to take shape, and we can't wait to drive it. Be sure to watch future issues of VETTE, as we completely rebuild the dash and add aftermarket gauges, then overhaul the T-tops to complete C3 Triple-Ex's interior modifications.

Check out the latest on Project C3 Triple-EX! This C3 Corvette has gone through a process of serious upgrades and modifications. Now it's time for exterior and body work! Check out details and pictures at Vette Magazine. » Read More

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